Francesca Olivier, Medline vice president of environmental, social and governance, has been named to Crain’s 2023 list of Notable Chicago Leaders in Sustainability. The list honors local leaders making “a measurable environmental impact” and “significant contributions to sustainability and/or community.”

“The 66 leaders profiled here all are innovating, and then some, on sustainability’s ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ mantra,” according to Crain’s Chicago Business. “They have launched programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the amount of garbage that goes to landfills. Initiatives they are championing cut back on water waste and save electricity.”

Olivier recently led the company’s evolution from a traditional corporate social responsibility program to a comprehensive ESG model that includes a broader, global and data-driven approach, all in an effort to make healthcare more sustainable and equitable. Medline recently released its first global ESG Report.

‘Making a tangible impact’

“When Francesca joined Medline, she created the company’s first sustainability initiative,” said Alex Liberman, Medline chief legal officer. “Today, thanks to Francesca’s passion, vision and leadership, Medline’s work as a social and environmental steward is making a tangible impact on the health systems we partner with and the communities we serve. We are grateful for her significant contributions.”

Olivier has more than 15 years of experience developing social and environmental programs in the nonprofit, government and corporate sectors. She joined Medline in 2011, serving as the company’s first, and at the time only, employee charged with promoting sustainability. Since then, she has overseen the creation and expansion of numerous successful programs including a cross-functional sustainable packaging lab. The program, which reduced waste by 455,000 pounds during the first year, received a 2021 Sustainability, Environmental Achievement and Leadership (SEAL) Award.

In addition, Olivier oversaw the integration of sustainability standards at nearly all Medline facilities. Today, Medline has over 2.7 million square feet of rooftops with solar installation producing over 11 million kWh annually. In her current, expanded role, and with a staff of five, she is building a decarbonization strategy that includes global tracking and greenhouse gas data reporting to more precisely identify opportunities to reduce Medline’s carbon footprint.

A passion for sustainability

“I am honored to receive this prestigious recognition,” said Olivier. “Few sectors are as intrinsically tied to ESG as healthcare. In expanding from a traditional CSR to a global ESG model, we have adopted a more holistic view of what it means to be a responsible corporate citizen and created a blueprint for the future. It’s rewarding to be part of this effort and recognized for our work.”

Olivier’s passion for sustainability began in 2005 while she was an undergraduate sociology student at Loyola University in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. As she evacuated from the city, she saw first-hand the supply shortages and infrastructure challenges related to climate change, spurring an interest in ESG. After returning to New Orleans and finishing her degree, she worked at United Way, helping to restore programs and services in communities devastated by the storm.

Later, Olivier returned to the Chicago area, receiving a master’s degree in environmental sustainability from Illinois Institute of Technology. She then worked in green business development for the water-policy nonprofit Delta Institute and supported green economic development at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region V.

With Medline, Olivier says, she saw the opportunity to “make a bigger impact.

“Medline offered me the best of both worlds: a company passionate about doing something authentic and impactful, while also driving industry change.”

Learn more about Medline’s commitment to creating positive social and environmental change, here and around the world.